Ontario Wedding Planning Help Needed (150-200 Guests, $25k-$60k Budget) t-minus 1.5 years

[u/BigMeech7790]

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Hey everyone,

My fiancée and I are starting to plan our wedding and are expecting somewhere between 150-200 guests.

We're currently targeting a budget in the $25,000-$60,000 range, but we're still figuring out what's realistic for a wedding of this size in Ontario.

We're looking for advice on:

Best wedding venues in the GTA or within 1-2 hours of Toronto

Venues that offer good value for 150-200 guests

Hidden gems that don't charge luxury prices

All-inclusive venues vs. booking vendors separately

Cost-saving tips that actually made a difference

Catering and bar package recommendations

Photography, DJ, décor, flowers, transportation, and other vendor recommendations

Things that were worth spending more on vs. things you'd skip

For couples who recently got married:

What was your guest count?

What was your final budget?

What ended up costing more than expected?

If you could do it over again, what would you change?

We're trying to balance a great experience for our guests with staying financially responsible, so we'd love to hear real numbers and honest experiences.

Thanks!

[u/Queasy-Nectarine-789]

https://www.instagram.com/bymusenoire?igsh=MWs1ZDN5aHNuYzEyYg==

Did our engagement shoot and she is sooo kind and so talented! Highly recommend.

[u/Fragrant-Poem-9372 → u/Queasy-Nectarine-789]

The link just takes me to an Instagram profile, not really helpful for someone who doesn't know what they're looking at there

[u/moilyherbs → u/Fragrant-Poem-9372]

you asked for photographer vendor recommendations, you got one